1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording and/or reproducing method and apparatus in which, even if a recording medium is moved to an extraction enabling position during recording of main data on a removable recording medium, sub-data used for managing the main data is recorded even at the position of enabling extraction of the recording medium to enable management of the main data recorded on the recording medium.
2. Background
Up to now, there is proposed a recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing a memory carrying a soli-state storage device, such as a non-volatile memory, as a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for data handled by an information processing apparatus, typified by a personal computer, or as a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for audio or video data.
As this sort of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, there is proposed such an apparatus in which a memory is interchangeable in order to enable free selection and recording and/or reproduction of a variety of pieces of the information. In the memory carrying a solid-state memory, data exchange with the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is possible simply on electrically connecting contacts provided on this memory to a connector provided on the recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
Thus, in the recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing the memory of this sort, the memory can be mounted or dismounted by a simplified mechanism without employing a complex loading mechanism such as is used in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing a disc-shaped recording medium, such as an optical disc or a magnetic disc. For example, a memory can be mounted, as electrical connection with respect to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is maintained, by simply fitting the memory in an insertion/ejecting opening provided in a main body portion of the apparatus.
The memory that is mounted on the recording and/or reproducing apparatus by a simplified inserting operation can easily be taken out from the main body portion of the apparatus by an operation of extracting it from the main body portion of the apparatus.
With the recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing a memory constructed by loading a solid-state storage element, the memory can be easily mounted or dismounted, thus achieving improved tractability as compared to the case of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing a disc. With this sort of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the memory can be mounted or dismounted easily, while a mistaken operation, such as inadvertently ejecting the memory, is liable to be performed.
Amongst the data recorded and/or reproduced by the recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing this sort of the memory, there is stream data as data exhibiting temporal continuity in data contents and which is finished temporally continuously as recording data, typified by audio or video data. In recording this sort of the stream data, TOC (Table of Contents) data, such as address data indicating data recording positions, need to be updated at least at the time of the end of unit data representing data integrity. If, in recording the stream data, the TOC data is not updated, the data that existed during recording is deemed to be absent in the memory, as a result of which the data is not recorded in actuality.
If a memory is inadvertently ejected during recording of data, such as stream data, the recording operation is terminated without recording TOC data, such that the data is not recorded, whilst data transmitted to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus cannot be regenerated.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which, while ease in mounting or dismounting a memory is maintained, the memory may be prevented from being ejected inadvertently during recording of data to assure reliable data.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which the recording operation of data on the memory can be continued even if the memory ejecting operation is executed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which it is possible to prohibit inadvertent memory ejection during data recording.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing main data and subsidiary data used for managing the main data, for a removable recording medium, in which the apparatus includes recording and/or reproducing means for recording the main data and the subsidiary data on the recording medium, storage means for storing the subsidiary data, ejection means for causing the recording medium to be moved from a first position in which the recording medium is housed in a chassis to a second position in which the recording medium is extracted, as electrical connection between the recording medium and the recording means is maintained, detection means for detecting that the recording medium has been moved by the ejection means from the first position to the second position and control means for controlling the recording and/or reproducing means so that recording of the main data on the recording medium will be halted on detection of movement of the recording medium by the detection means and so that subsidiary data stored in the storage means and which is relevant to the main data already recorded will be recorded on the recording medium.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a recording and/or reproducing method for recording main data and subsidiary data for managing the main data, on or from a removable recording medium, in which the method includes the steps of recording the main data on the recording medium and generating the subsidiary data, and stopping recording on the recording medium of the main data and recording on the recording medium of the generated subsidiary data relevant to the main data already recorded if it is detected that the recording medium has been moved from a first position housing the recording medium in a chassis to a second position permitting the recording medium to be extracted as the electrical connection between the recording medium and the recording means is maintained.
In the recording and/or reproducing method and apparatus according to the present invention, the electrical connection between the contact provided in the memory and the connector is maintained in a state the memory ejecting operation is already performed by an ejection unit, so that the data recording state can be continued to effect reliable data recording. Moreover, since the alarm display is made in a state the recording operating mode is selected, it is possible to prevent inadvertent memory extraction to enable the recording of data being undertaken to be completed reliably.